Warm weather, increased compliance and people hustling to holiday hotspots have pushed up fishing licence sales.
Sales were up about 5% this season, Otago Fish and Game Council operations manager Ian Hadland said.
More than 5000 adult licences and 3800 family licences had so far been sold for the season, which began on October 1.
''It seems like everyone dusted off the fishing gear, got a licence and took to the water,'' he said.
''It's been great to see, particularly the family groups.''
He was also heartened by the level of compliance among anglers.
Only four people had been found angling without a licence - two on the lower Clutha River and two on Lake Wakatipu.
''[Non-compliance] has been decreasing over the last few years and that's pretty pleasing as well,'' he said.
''It's obvious that people aren't taking risks about licensing. It reflects people are being pretty upfront and honest about their freshwater fishing.''
With the weather forecast to remain balmy during the holiday period, he expected licence sales to remain buoyant.
''The weather has certainly driven people to every sort of waterway,'' he said.
''This year has been just primo.''
